This invention presents a new and distinct cultivar Caryopteris.times.clandonensis and will be referred to hereafter by the cultivar name `First Choice`. `First Choice` is a new an distinct cultivar of Bluebeard, a shrub that is grown as a perennial for landscape use.
The new cultivar is the result of a seedling selection program that began in 1988 with the objective of developing a cultivar with a compact plant habit and a stronger flower color. Seeds were originally collected by the inventor at Liss Forest Nursury in Hampshire, UK. Seedlings were selected, open-pollinated, and reselected over five subsequent generations. Seeds were originally collected from the cultivars Caryopteris.times.clandonensis `Heavenly Blue` (unpatented) and Caryopteris.times.clandonensis `Kew Blue` (unpatented). In five subsequent generations, the most promising seedlings were selected, open-pollinated and observed for further seed collection. The new Caryopteris was discovered in a seed bed sown of these various unidentified crosses of Caryopteris.times.clandonensis seed in 1992. Thousands of seedlings were evaluated before the cultivar `First Choice` was selected as unique in that it has a compact growth habit, a long bloom season and deep-colored floral buds and flowers. The new cultivar is more similar to `Kew Blue` than to `Heavenly Blue`. `First Choice` differs from `Kew Blue` in that `First Choice` is longer blooming, more compact, the flowers are larger and richer in color, the flowers are more abundant, and the foliage is greener. Data is given Table 1 for comparison to `Dark Knight` (unpatented) because the flower color of `Dark Knight` is closer to that of `First Choice` than any other cultivar. The new cultivar can be readily distinguished from all other cultivars of Caryopteris.times.clandonensis by the characteristics that are described hereafter.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar has been accomplished by semi-ripe cuttings taken by the inventor in 1994 at Liss Forest Nursery in England. The characteristics of this new cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.